Your Wi-Fi Isn’t Coming From Space: The Truth About Underwater Internet Cables
Air bubble rings through blue ocean symbolizing internet cables
Hi RYSERS,
In honor of Water Day, we are diving into the unseen forces shaping our world — both above and beneath the waves. While we often think about water in terms of conservation and access, there's another hidden connection that keeps our world running: undersea cables. These vast networks, stretching across the ocean floor, power the Wi-Fi we rely on daily, connecting people, ideas, and innovations across the globe.
As we celebrate the importance of water, let’s explore how these undersea lifelines bridge our world while also considering their environmental impact and the efforts being made to make them more sustainable. Let’s dive in!
The Hidden World of Undersea Cables
Blue and yellow undersea internet cable on ocean floor
Undersea cables are the backbone of global internet connectivity, transmitting about 99% of international data — including video streaming, online transactions, and everyday Wi-Fi. These cables are critical for the functioning of AI and other advanced technologies that rely on seamless data transfer across continents. Major tech companies like Google (which leads with 33 subsea cables), Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon have heavily invested in these cables. Infrastructure providers like Alcatel Submarine Networks, SubCom, and NEC Corporation also play crucial roles in this sector. The U.S. owns a significant portion of the undersea cable infrastructure, but it's a shared network with multiple international stakeholders.
Meta's Project Waterworth: Bridging Continents
Three blue and yellow underwater cables on mossy ocean floor
Meta has announced Project Waterworth, aiming to build the world's longest undersea cable, spanning 50,000 kilometers. This ambitious project will connect the U.S., India, Brazil, South Africa, and other regions, enhancing global connectivity. Project Waterworth is designed to support AI innovation, promote economic cooperation, and foster digital inclusion across continents.
Sustainability Challenges
Scuba-diver amidst an underwater fish storm
Sustainability Challenges and Mitigation Efforts
Undersea cables, while crucial for connectivity, do pose environmental challenges. However, significant steps are being taken to mitigate these impacts:
Seabed Disturbance: Installation can disrupt seabed ecosystems, but these effects are usually minimal and temporary. Companies are employing advanced techniques to minimize disturbance, such as using remote-operated vehicles (ROVs) for precise cable laying, reducing the need for extensive seabed disruption.
Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs): These fields might affect marine life, though impacts are typically minor. According to the Alliance for Climate Transition Institute, concerns about offshore wind cables (which emit EMF’s) negatively impacting marine life are not supported by scientific evidence, although research is ongoing. Additionally, the Earth produces its own natural electromagnetic field, including in our ocean ways. Studies have shown that many marine life cannot tell the difference between natural and artificial EMF’s and in fact, some utilize their innate capabilities to detect them and not only adapt, but use them for their own navigation purposes.
Cable Failures: Failures can release pollutants, such as lead, into marine environments. For example, AT&T agreed to remove lead-covered cables from Lake Tahoe due to contamination concerns. To prevent such incidents, companies are adopting eco-friendly materials and implementing stricter environmental standards in cable manufacturing.
Marine Life Interaction: There have been infrequen cases where marine animals like whales get entangled, potentially damaging cables, and harming wildlife. However, studies indicate these occurrences are rare. To further reduce such risks, cable burial techniques are being introduced to prevent entanglement and minimize damage.
Innovations in Sustainability — Major tech companies are investing in initiatives to make undersea cables more eco-friendly:
Meta’s Project Waterworth aims to build a 50,000-kilometer cable using sustainable materials and energy-efficient technologies.
Google focuses on expanding their $1 billion undersea cable initiative, connecting the U.S. and Asia via Australia — with an emphasis on reducing environmental impact.
Microsoft is involved in projects that prioritize sustainable and resilient digital infrastructure.
Oceanic Environmental Cables (OEC) provides sustainable solutions by recovering and recycling out-of-service cables, turning them into valuable materials.
Nexans is exploring the use of recycled metals in new subsea cables to minimize environmental impact.
Prysmian Group is pioneering submarine cables for offshore wind farms, helping drive global renewable energy goals.
XLCC is establishing a green subsea cable manufacturing facility in Scotland to support the transition to renewable energy.
RYSIT’s Perspective: Progress with Purpose
Hand holding iPhone mirroring the green forest behind it
At RYSIT, we believe that innovation and sustainability are not opposing forces—they are partners in shaping a future that works for everyone. Wi-Fi, AI, and instant access to information are necessities in today’s world, not mere luxuries. The question isn’t whether we continue to advance, but how we do so responsibly.
Undersea cables are essential lifelines, carrying the world’s knowledge across oceans. As we expand these networks, we must also push for smarter, lower-impact solutions that respect both progress and the planet.
True sustainability isn’t about halting innovation, it’s about designing it wisely. The path forward isn’t about choosing between connectivity and conservation, it’s about ensuring they can coexist. Because when progress and sustainability move together, we don’t just build a better internet — we build a better world.